Scroll down for all the winners

Bruno Mars' star is burning brighter than most as the soul and funk maestro celebrates a truly golden night at the annual Grammy Awards. Mars won the coveted album of the year, presented by U2's Bono and the Edge, for his 24K Magic album and enjoyed a clean sweep at the music industry's night of nights in New York.

Held at Madison Square Garden, the 60th Grammy Awards were dominated by Mars and his chart-topping third album.

The 32-year-old singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer went in to the annual awards ceremony with six nominations and strutted away with the top honour as well as record of the year and R&B album of the year for 24K Magic, plus song of the year, R&B song of the year and best R&B performance for That's What I Like.

Music industry heavyweight Jay-Z, who has won 21 Grammys throughout his career (from 74 nominations), was nominated in eight categories but went home empty-handed.

Bruno Mars accepts the award for album of the year for 24K Magic at the 60th annual Grammy Awards. Photo: AP

Fellow multiple-nominee Kendrick Lamar's enormous purple patch continued with five Grammy wins, including best rap album for DAMN, music video, rap song and rap performance for his song Humble and the rap/sung award for Loyalty, featuring Rihanna.

READ MORE

Lorde, who in 2014 won song of the year and best pop solo performance for Royals, was up against the biggest names in pop and rap for this year's coveted album of the year award. The 21-year-old New Zealander watched on from the audience as Mars finished the night with all the applause.

The sole Australian winner was Hillsong Worship, winning the Grammy for best contemporary christian music performance/song for What A Beautiful Name. The group, which formed out of Sydney's Hillsong church, has enjoyed enormous success with their Christian-inspired music and concerts.

Kendrick Lamar (right) opens the 60th Grammy Awards. Photo: AP

"This is an absolutely incredible honour," said Hillsong Worship's Brooke Ligertwood, who accepted the award with fellow member Ben Fielding. The award is given to artists and songwriters of new contemporary Christian pop, Christian rap/hip-hop or Christian rock singles or tracks.

Sydney trio Mansionair, who collaborated with electronic duo Odesza on the song Line Of Sight, were nominated for best dance recording. The award was won by LCD Soundsystem for Tonite.

Australian artists Sia (best song written for visual media) and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (best music film) were also edged out by Lin-Manuel Miranda for the song How Far I'll Go (from the film Moana) and the The Defiant Ones respectively. Sia was nominated for the song Never Give Up from the 2016 film Lion, and Cave's group for One More Time With Feeling. It was Sia's eighth Grammy nomination since 2013.

Before introducing Kesha's live performance, singer and actress Janelle Monae delivered a passionate message, addressing the #TimesUp and #MeToo movements. "We have the power to undo the culture that does not serve us well," Monae said.

"Let's work together, women and men, as a united music industry committed to creating safe working environments, equal pay and access for all women. We are also daughters, wives, mothers, sisters and human beings. We come in peace but we mean business. And to those who would dare try to silence us, we offer you two words – Time's Up."

U2 – winners of 23 Grammy awards from 46 nominations – amped up the huge spectacle, performing live on a barge outside the venue with the Statue of Liberty in the background.

Back at Madison Square Garden for the first time in 15 years, the awards opened with a visually stunning performance by 30-year-old Lamar.

Lady Gaga dedicated her performance of Joanne and Million Reasons (with Mark Ronson on guitar) to her father's late sister, while Sting sang 1987's Englishmen in New York accompanied by Shaggy). Texan guitarist Gary Clark jnr and the Late Show's Jon Batiste delivered a heartfelt tribute to late music legends Chuck Berry and Fats Domino, playing Domino's 1955 hit Ain't That a Shameand Berry's Maybelline.

Pink, Sam Smith, Elton John performing Tiny Dancer accompanied by Miley Cyrus, SZA and Childish Gambino a.k.a Donald Glover (who earlier won the award for traditional R&B performance for his song Redbone) all performed live at the typically star-studded event, which was hosted by The Late Late Show's James Corden.

Leonard Cohen, who died in November, 2016, won the rock performance award for You Want It Darker. Former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, who died last May, was nominated in the same category for his song The Promise. Glen Campbell was also posthumously nominated for Arkansas Farmboy in the American roots performance category, won by Alabama Shakes for Killer Diller Blues.

Chris Stapleton was a popular winner in the country album category for From A Room: Volume 1. Stapleton and Emmylou Harris also performed a tribute to the late Tom Petty, a multiple Grammy nominee and three-time winner, who died on October 2.

Other winners included Ed Sheeran for his chart-topping album ÷(pop vocal album) and the song Shape of You (solo performance). Canadian singer and songwriter Alessia Cara took out best new artist.

The National won the alternative music album category with Sleep Well Beast; Foo Fighters, currently touring Australia, won the rock song category with Run and Mastadon won best metal performance with Sultan's Curse. The War On Drugs' A Deeper Understanding won the rock album award.

Kali Uchis attends the Universal Music Group's 2018 After Party for the Grammy Awards. Photo: Photo by John Salangsang/Invision for UMG/AP Images